Cookies from my 19th Annual Cookie Swap Party in 2019.
This is not something I thought I would have to do this year. But I had to cancel my annual cookie swap party on December 7th. This would have been my 20th year and is something I really look forward to each year. I always spend the weekend after Thanksgiving getting my home decorated and adding just the right touches for my friends to descend upon my house with their 12 dozen cookies fabulous to swap. I also have a theme each year – I always work best with a theme, which is always so much fun and engaging for my guests.
To be honest, when I knew the pandemic showed no signs of leaving any time soon, I decided it would be in everyone’s best interest to cancel. I mean, I wanted to spread Christmas spirit with my party, not Covid! Because of this, I didn’t really come up with a 20th anniversary theme. Sometimes one will come to me while I’m out window shopping or looking through Pinterest. Sometimes, a friend or my kids will say something that triggers a theme. Maybe as I go through this holiday season, something will ring true to me and that will become my theme for next year. (Maybe one of my readers has a suggestion??!! Throw it my way, pretty please!!!)
My theme last year was Naughty or Nice and it was inspired by a few things. One day I went to Swoozies at The Summit to look around and I saw cocktail napkins that said “Naughty” and “Nice.” When I saw these, I remembered a Naughty or Nice Designs by Lolita wine glass I had my eye on and it all just clicked! Other things fell into place too. I found Naughty and Nice stir sticks on Amazon for the margaritas I always serve and even Naughty/Nice toilet paper at Target in their dollar section!
The “piece de resistance” was the Naughty/Nice necklace I saw on the Instagram page of my friend and artist, Kerry Leasure of Here a Chick There a Chick. She posted a photo an incredible vintage looking necklace she had created. It was perfect for my party! First of all, if you don’t know about Kerry, you need to. She creates the most incredible and quirky jewelry that is one of a kind in addition to being serious conversation pieces! I was so excited to see the necklace and I snapped it up immediately! It went great with my Santa “Someone’s Been Naughty” t-shirt!
Then one night, I was sitting at my laptop and thinking I needed just one more thing for the party – besides the cookies, of course. Granted I was focusing on the “naughty” more than the “nice” side of the party and started searching Amazon for a mugshot backdrop banner. You know, the ones you stand in front of for the mugshot before they book you at the police station? I ended up finding one that had large cards to fill out that said “Santa Saw You…” This was the perfect touch for the party! And I found a few Naughty/Nice Santa hats too. They were reversible so guests could choose. Not surprisingly, all my guests chose Naughty…what can I say?
Of course, the cookie swap part was as wonderful as ever. Everyone left with Christmas boxes filled with assorted cookies. The smell of sugar was prevalent all over my house! Several friends stayed and cleaned up my kitchen and helped me put my house back together. This party kicks off the Christmas holidays for me and I will miss not being able to have that this year. Planning this party is part of the fun of it every year. But it gives me time to dream up the perfect theme for next year’s 20th anniversary. I already have the date set on my calendar – December 6, 2021.
Southern Señora 